International law handbook

Decides further
that the Council shall consist of forty-seven Member States, which shall 
be elected directly and individually by secret ballot by the majority of the members of the General 
Assembly; the membership shall be based on equitable geographical distribution, and seats shall 
be distributed as follows among regional groups: Group of African States, thirteen; Group of Asian 
States, thirteen; Group of Eastern European States, six; Group of Latin American and Caribbean 
States, eight; and Group of Western European and other States, seven; the members of the Council 
shall serve for a period of three years and shall not be eligible for immediate re-election after two 
consecutive terms;
8. 
Decides 
that the membership in the Council shall be open to all States Members of the 
United Nations; when electing members of the Council, Member States shall take into account the 
contribution of candidates to the promotion and protection of human rights and their voluntary 

---

Human Rights Council
543
pledges and commitments made thereto; the General Assembly, by a two-thirds majority of the 
members present and voting, may suspend the rights of membership in the Council of a member of 
the Council that commits gross and systematic violations of human rights;
9. 
Decides also
that members elected to the Council shall uphold the highest standards in the 
promotion and protection of human rights, shall fully cooperate with the Council and be reviewed 
under the universal periodic review mechanism during their term of membership;
10. 
Decides further
that the Council shall meet regularly throughout the year and schedule no 
fewer than three sessions per year, including a main session, for a total duration of no less than ten 
weeks, and shall be able to hold special sessions, when needed, at the request of a member of the 
Council with the support of one third of the membership of the Council;
11. 
Decides 
that the Council shall apply the rules of procedure established for committees of 
the General Assembly, as applicable, unless subsequently otherwise decided by the Assembly or the 
Council, and also decides that the participation of and consultation with observers, including States 
that are not members of the Council, the specialized agencies, other intergovernmental organiza-
tions and national human rights institutions, as well as non-governmental organizations, shall be 
based on arrangements, including Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31 of 25 July 1996 
and practices observed by the Commission on Human Rights, while ensuring the most effective 
contribution of these entities;
12.
 Decides also 
that the methods of work of the Council shall be transparent, fair and impar-
tial and shall enable genuine dialogue, be results-oriented, allow for subsequent follow-up discus-
sions to recommendations and their implementation and also allow for substantive interaction with 
special procedures and mechanisms;
13. 
Recommends
that
 
the Economic and Social Council request the Commission on Human 
Rights to conclude its work at its sixty-second session, and that it abolish the Commission on 
16 June 2006;
14. 
Decides 
to elect the new members of the Council; the terms of membership shall be stag-
gered, and such decision shall be taken for the first election by the drawing of lots, taking into 
consideration equitable geographical distribution;
15. 
Decides also 
that elections of the first members of the Council shall take place on 9 May 
2006, and that the first meeting of the Council shall be convened on 19 June 2006;
16.